by Sam Rainer | Feb 15, 2010 | Uncategorized
Below is a letter to my daughter—arrival date June 28th—that I included in our church’s weekly newsletter. I thought I might share it with you as well. Dear Maggie, We can’t wait for you to arrive! I love you so much. Mom loves you. And our church family loves you. In... by Sam Rainer | Feb 9, 2010 | Uncategorized
Most of you may know from my Twitter and Facebook updates that I’m going to be the dad of a little girl. Maggie Elizabeth is expected to arrive in this world on June 28th! My wife and I could not be more excited. I’m mentally preparing for a new world of pink and... 
by Sam Rainer | Feb 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
The fastest growing area of poverty in the United States is in the suburb. The Brookings Institute released a report in January that details the change in the U.S. poor population by community type. Here’s one of many findings in their report: Between 2000 and 2008,... 
by Sam Rainer | Jan 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
Pastors can have two personas: one the congregation sees and one the staff sees. While the goal is to be the same person around everyone, it often does not play out. The reality is you act differently around staff you work with for hours on end each day, compared to... by Sam Rainer | Jan 21, 2010 | Uncategorized
Stats are like still photographs—they reveal something about a specific place and time. One of the greatest sources for stats in the United States is the Statistical Abstract, published annually. It’s been around a long time (since 1878), and it is often used as a...
